Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

in_my_wellies said:

Here are some ladybirds:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/jul/22/ladybird-species-harlequin-uk-insects
There are many more varieties than I knew!

Many more than I was aware of with cracking pictures as well

Dave, I have tomato envy, nice set up there as well. Have you ever taken advantage of RHS "spare" seeds? The ones they collect, not the ones that stick to clothes

I've not but you post set me thinking, I have seen the trainees collecting them at Wisley

We are due rain here later, but it's a "maybe" so I'll leave the final runners planting, only two left overs, until later this week when sun is due to shine forever

Davesnave

Farway said:

in_my_wellies said:

Here are some ladybirds:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/jul/22/ladybird-species-harlequin-uk-insects
There are many more varieties than I knew!

Dave, I have tomato envy, nice set up there as well. Have you ever taken advantage of RHS "spare" seeds? The ones they collect, not the ones that stick to clothes

I've not but you post set me thinking, I have seen the trainees collecting them at Wisley.

The tomato set-up has been going for years; we just rotate/rejuvenate the beds and occasionally change the bamboo poles. They're attached to roof bars as well or they'd never hold up under the weight. It's all DB's work. I just grow them.

I've had seeds from the RHS, but not for some years. I've not seen collection at Rosemoor, though that's not to suggest it doesn't happen. What I have seen is plants being cut back and thrust into numerous dumpy bags in autumn. This is why timing of visits can be crucial!

Paspatur

Davesnave said:

Here's a picture of the seed mix I received. Considering they are outdated, I expected maybe a few more, especially as the web site says there should be 80.

That's a shame. Can you identify any of them from the seeds? Seem to be mainly large black ones?

Davesnave

Paspatur said:

Davesnave said:

Here's a picture of the seed mix I received. Considering they are outdated, I expected maybe a few more, especially as the web site says there should be 80.

That's a shame. Can you identify any of them from the seeds? Seem to be mainly large black ones?

I don't know what they are. Unlike yours, there's no list. Yes, there are a lot of the black ones, which I hope aren't something I have already!

Never mind, I've planted Echiums and Nasturtiums today and they'll definitely come up quickly. My mange-touts have gone outside and the ones in the poly have pods on. I'm cutting courgettes too, but not fast enough yet.

That was a great ladybird page. We don't see many here and I've no idea why when there are so many other bugs.

Paspatur

Davesnave said:

Paspatur said:

Davesnave said:

Here's a picture of the seed mix I received. Considering they are outdated, I expected maybe a few more, especially as the web site says there should be 80.

That's a shame. Can you identify any of them from the seeds? Seem to be mainly large black ones?

I don't know what they are. Unlike yours, there's no list. Yes, there are a lot of the black ones, which I hope aren't something I have already!

Never mind, I've planted Echiums and Nasturtiums today and they'll definitely come up quickly. My mange-touts have gone outside and the ones in the poly have pods on. I'm cutting courgettes too, but not fast enough yet.

That was a great ladybird page. We don't see many here and I've no idea why when there are so many other bugs.

OK the packets I have which I won't use are Koelreuteria Paniculata, Vitex agnus-castus, Leycesteria formosa, Ules europaeus and Dicksonia fibrosa. None of them look like your black ones. If you want any of these I am happy to post them to you

Davesnave

Paspatur said:

Davesnave said:

Paspatur said:

Davesnave said:

Here's a picture of the seed mix I received. Considering they are outdated, I expected maybe a few more, especially as the web site says there should be 80.

That's a shame. Can you identify any of them from the seeds? Seem to be mainly large black ones?

I don't know what they are. Unlike yours, there's no list. Yes, there are a lot of the black ones, which I hope aren't something I have already!

Never mind, I've planted Echiums and Nasturtiums today and they'll definitely come up quickly. My mange-touts have gone outside and the ones in the poly have pods on. I'm cutting courgettes too, but not fast enough yet.

That was a great ladybird page. We don't see many here and I've no idea why when there are so many other bugs.

OK the packets I have which I won't use are Koelreuteria Paniculata, Vitex agnus-castus, Leycesteria formosa, Ules europaeus and Dicksonia fibrosa. None of them look like your black ones. If you want any of these I am happy to post them to you

Thank you, that's very generous, but I have all of those, err.. except the Vitex.......

You know it's also called "The Chaste Tree?" Apparently a concoction from the ground-up berries was supposed to have been given to monks long ago to help them keep their vow of chastity.

I think I'll pass on that one; not because of its potential side effects, but simply because I lost it before when I lived in a warmer spot! It is a first class shrub, if only one can keep it.

Apodemus

pink_poppy said:

I spotted 😉 this on a rhubarb leaf earlier. Can anyone identify the ladybird variety??

PP, that looks quite like the ones that we used to get below our Scots Pines in Inverness-shire, which the Guardian link above calls the Striped Ladybird.

MovingForwards

@pink_poppy if I pop to visit mates on one of the isle's I will take a detour 😉

@Davesnave that's shocking!
I will join you with mystery seeds. Some free ones had the outer packet saying one thing, the inner packet said something else, the seeds don't look like either. They're currently growing and I hope to potentially get them identified when adult leaves grow. Please don't let it be anise flavour.

Haven't been outside today, by the time I logged off it was raining again. OH has been working on the borrowed plot, that's ready to have seeds put in. 

Farway

Sun's out & very warm as well, at last I've planted the remaining two runners into final spots, the others previously planted are slightly slug nibbled but I think they'll make it

Inspected my cherry tree, not as many have set as last year but given the weather we've had it's not too bad, at least with the rain they should swell nicely

And, TaRa, sound of bugles, my Lakemont grape has flower clusters showing , planted Spring 2018 in open ground and against a south east facing garden wall with long sunny days after lunchtime, this will be the first year it's fruited, assuming it does

Once the flowers open a bit more I'll post a photo

MovingForwards

There are plenty of flowers opening up in the garden, it's lovely seeing all the colours.
Got notification the bulk compost is being delivered tomorrow, OH has braced himself ready for plenty of wheelbarrow trips 🤣 
- it's being used on 3 of the gardens and then I can start sowing more seeds in the loaner garden and start to get more plants into the one we are currently making over.

Thankfully I've booked a few long weekends off!